CUFF THE DUKE at Yonge-Dundas Square, Friday, August 31. Rating: NNN
Local roots rockers Cuff The Duke played to a bopping, appreciative, kid-friendly crowd at Yonge-Dundas Square for this summer’s final installment of the free Indie Fridays concert series.
Lead singer Wayne Petti is a man of very few words on stage – it was a few songs in before he offered any banter at all – but that didn’t damper the enthusiasm of fans near the front who hollered between songs.
The band, who have been together over ten years through various line-up changes, are sounding more than ever like a cross between the Byrds and Tom Petty (with hints of Canadian influences, like Ron Sexsmith, thrown in) – jangly twang, catchy choruses, lots of backup vocals, and big jams.
They focused on material from last year’s concept album Morning Comes, and previewed new songs off their upcoming disc Union (part two of the concept album, out Oct 2), which, so far, sounds upbeat and romantic. They also did a handful of songs off of 2009’s Way Down Here and touched on old favourites like broke and pissed off Take My Money And Run and fuzzy Oshawa love letter/hoedown Rossland Square.
With guitarist/pedal steel player Dale Murray gone (off to pursue his solo project and studio work), Francois Turenne played lead guitar, and a new member, Thom Hamerton, was on keys. Despite these changes, the band was tight and playing off each other well.
Though it was a consistently good show and Standing On The Edge, soulful Letting Go and epic Bound To Your Own Vices were especially strong, something was missing in the long arc of the set that failed to deliver a big finish.
It was worth sticking around for the encore, however, as the band covered Tom Petty’s The Waiting. They should give Tommy Youngsteen a run for their money and do a whole set of Petti doing Petty sometime.
